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Man killed in Pine Valley hit-run

PINE VALLEY -- A 45-year-old Phoenix man found fatally injured alongside Interstate 8 in Pine Valley Tuesday was the victim of a hit-and-run.

The man was struck alongside the eastbound lanes near Crestwood Road during a period of dense fog shortly after 10 p.m. Tuesday, the California Highway Patrol said.

The victim likely was headed to the nearby Golden Acorn Casino because his vehicle had run out of gas, the CHP said.

A trucker spotted a man in dark clothing lying face down on the roadside about 10:30 p.m. and called for help, according to the CHP.

The victim was able to tell investigators he was struck by an unknown vehicle, the CHP said. He was loaded into an ambulance bound for a waiting helicopter at Viejas Casino, but died from his injuries while en route.

Although the make and model of the vehicle were not immediately known, CHP officials said it likely was left with damage to the right front.

Anyone with information about the incident was asked to call the CHP at 619-401-2000.